1. Field of the Application
The present application relates to a de-icing splitter for an axial turbine engine. More specifically, the present application relates to the de-icing of a splitter by reinjecting a hot gas into the splitter. The present application also relates to an axial turbine engine, notably to an aeroplane turbojet or to an aircraft turboprop engine.
2. Description of Related Art
An aeroplane multi-stream turboprop engine is designed to be environmentally friendly. With a view to optimizing thrust and efficiency, while at the same time reducing noise nuisance, a turboprop engine operates using several annular streams of air. To do that, the turboprop engine splits an incoming stream into a primary or main stream and a secondary or bypass stream. The streams are separated by a circular splitter positioned upstream of the compressor. At this point, it forms the air inlet for the compressor.
The air entering the turbine engine remains at atmospheric temperature at the splitter. Because these temperatures may drop as low as −50° C. at altitude, ice may form on the splitter with moisture. During flight, this ice may spread and accumulate until it forms blocks at the tips of the compressor stator vanes. These blocks may also alter the geometry of the splitter and influence the stream of air entering the compressor, and this may impair the efficiency thereof.
As they develop, the blocks may become heavy and then break off as a result of turbine engine vibrations. Carried along in the incoming stream, these blocks may be ingested by the compressor, with the risk of damaging the rotor blades on their way through. This ingestion is particularly penalising when it does not pass through the fan beforehand. In order to limit this formation of ice, splitters are provided with de-icing devices.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,760 B2 divulges an axial turbine engine compressor provided with a de-icing splitter. The latter is heated by a circulation of hot air bled from a compressor of the turbine engine. The hot air is injected into the splitter then escapes, infiltrating the upstream hook between the external wall of the splitter and the external shroud. Axial grooves are formed in the external shroud to form a passage through the hook, which means that the de-icing flow is optimised. However, such a splitter remains expensive because of the way in which the interfaces are arranged. The geometry of the passages is complex, and this detracts from operation since the manufacturing tolerances impair the actual operating conditions.
Although great strides have been made in the area of de-icing splitters for axial turbine engine compressors, many shortcomings remain.